Chapter XX: Fighting Back

Saltrall sat in silence and listened to Tenzin and Korra discuss her airbending as they flew back to Air Temple Island. He decided not to say anything because he had a very small knowledge base of airbending and didn't think it appropriate to ask questions.

Later that night Saltrall was walking around the island, enjoying the early night breeze when he came to a cliff. He smiled at the statue of Aang, the previous Avatar. After they got back to the island he had spent a long time learning what the Avatar is and what they do with Tenzin, who he learned was Aang's son. His smile faded when he looked over and saw a crying Korra sitting on a cliff about a hundred feet away.

He was about to yell to get her attention when he heard Mako and Bolin calling for her and saw them come through some bushes with Pabu and Asami. He frowned slightly when he saw them talking to her and he made his way back to the TARDIS solemnly.

With a sigh he sat on the couch, but instead of moping he decided to do something useful and help Korra and her friends. He got to his console and adjusted some knobs before pulling the lever and teleporting into Republic City.

Korra and her friends saw and heard the TARDIS disappear and they looked at each other, confused.

"I wonder where Saltrall's going," Asami said looking at the others, "Do you guys know?"

They all shook their heads and set off on their own to patrol Republic City as well. Saltrall meanwhile was getting out and locking the door behind him. He had landed on a rooftop and was wearing his rubber undershirt as well as his staser in a holster and his Sonic screwdriver.

He was looking through a pair of binoculars when he heard noise behind him, it sounded like boots hitting the roof along with conducting electricity. Turning quickly he blocked an Equalist as he tried to electrocute him. Saltrall punched him in the gut and ran to the side, when he saw four other Equalists charging him. He stopped and the five of them surrounded him.

"Well, now things get interesting," Saltrall said with a smirk as he drew his Sonic, "Who's first?"

An Equalist ran at him and he paralyzed her with his Sonic. Two others came at him next. He punched one and grabbed the other one's arm, putting his Sonic against his arm and activating it. The grunt yelled in pain as his arm shattered and Saltrall grabbed his head and pulled it down as he kneed him in the chin, causing him to fall into a heap. Saltrall grunted when one of the other grunts hit him in the back and he elbowed him in the face, his rubber shirt keeping him from getting electrocuted.

"Nice try, but rubber is a terrible conductor," He said with a smirk as he drew his staser and shot him, not sure if it was set to stun or kill, the grunt crumpled in a heap nonetheless.

Saltrall ran at the first Equalist who tried to attack him and grabbed him in a headlock, pressing his Sonic to his head he destroyed his brain and tossed him off into an alley below. He turned to the final Equalist, the one he paralyzed and punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground because her legs were frozen. He turned to look for the last one, but he was running off, so Saltrall let him go. He looked back at the female Equalist, unfroze her legs and left her there with the others who were unconscious before turning his head when he heard a car engine roar past below.

He ran to the edge of the building and grinned when he saw the others chasing after a truck full of Equalists in one of Asami's cars. Not wanting to miss out on the chase he jumped across the street and landed on an awning and jumped up onto the roof while frightened citizens screamed below him, causing him to look down.

"Sorry!" He shouted at them apologetically before chasing after the cars. He saw smoke rising in a long trail and followed it until he heard screeching tires and saw a street light fall over. Fearing the worst he jumped another roof and looked down before laughing.

"Good job, guys!" He yelled as he saw the Equalist truck on it's side and the surprised faces on his friends as they grinned and yelled up at him. He sees reporters starting to show up and he used his Sonic to make the TARDIS materialize next to him.

"Whoa, how'd you do that?" Bolin shouted up to him with a glint of awe in his eye.

Saltrall smirked, "Sorry, Time Lord secret, Bolin!" He yelled down at him before seeing cameras getting set up. "I'll see you guys back on the island!" He shouted as he waved goodbye and got in the TARDIS making it disappear just as Tarrlok approached the Avatar and her friends on the street below.

Saltrall was leaning against his TARDIS, waiting for the others to get back. He grinned when he saw them arrive and walked up to them.

"Good job, guys!" He said as he hugged all of them.

"Thanks Saltrall," Korra said as she hugged him back. Their hug lasted slightly longer than the others, which made Mako scowl a little, but nobody noticed.

"So what exactly were you doing in the city, Saltrall?" Mako asked, "we saw you leave but you didn't tell us where you were going."

Saltrall nodded, "Decided to go for a solo run. Got attacked by a few, and by a few I mean five, Equalists, nothing big."

They all expressed their shock when he said that.

"What?! Are you okay?" Bolin asked.

Saltrall just laughed. "I'm fine, guys," He said lifting his sweatshirt, "rubber undershirt, poor bastards didn't stand a chance."

Mako shook his head, "But how did you handle FIVE all by yourself?" He asked.

Saltrall smiled softly. "Years of experience fighting things much scarier and tougher than a few grunts." He replied, his smile fading slightly as he sighed. "I'm not proud of a lot of it, but I did what I had to do."

There was an awkward silence as Saltrall looked around.

"I figured that was coming, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put a damper on a good mood." He said, turning to go to his TARDIS.

They all started trying to get to him to stop but he had already started to walk away. He finally stopped and turned when someone grabbed his wrist. He turned to see that Mako had come over and stopped him.

"Hey, come on," He said softly, "You didn't do anything wrong."

Saltrall stopped and nodded. "I'm sorry," He replied and they walked back over to the group. "There's something I haven't told you guys."

"What is it?" Korra asked with concern in her voice.

Saltrall took a deep breath before looking at his friends.

"I have a rare Time Lord condition called situational pentamood disorder," he began, "Basically, it's like bipolarism but much worse because instead of my mood changing between manic and depressed I go from myself to basically being a different person if certain things happen.

"Say one of you got hurt and I saw it, I'd probably get incredibly angry, like, 'not stopping until everyone is dead' angry, and then as soon I calm down I'm back to myself."

Asami nodded slowly. "I understand," she said, "but at the same time that sounds like a normal human response, I mean maybe to an extreme, but it sounds like you're just protecting people you care about."

Saltrall just shrugged, "It might be, but when I was growing up I was told that it's a defect in a Time Lord's brain, a defect that harms not only myself but the people around me too. It also causes severe depression under the right conditions so, you know, all good things."

He sighed again and looked down, not wanting to see his friend's faces, that when he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Bolin smiling at him.

"That's what friends are for, to help you get through dark times." He said, trying to reassure the Time Lord.

That made Saltrall smile and look at them. "You're right, Bolin, thanks guys, so so much." He said as he looked at everyone, again pausing a little longer while looking at Korra, making her blush lightly.

Bolin grinned, "That's the spirit, now come on, let's celebrate a good night's work!"

The others all exclaimed in agreement and they walked inside the dining hall.